Outstretched Arms of Love: Day Twenty Eight, Saturday

In this Lenten series I would like to invite you to consider Jesus’ “outstretched arms of love” toward all who followed him as disciples, seeking to emulate his life, self-sacrifice, and humble service to others. Today we will reflect on one distinct time and way Jesus stretched out his arms of love to all who beheld his glory, believed his message, belonged as his disciples, and sought to become more and more like his image and with more of their true identity in Christ Alone.

Read Mark 10: 17-31; Luke 10: 38-42

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord…” (Psalm 27: 4) The Apostle Paul writes of the one thing to do: pressing on to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14). Peter also writes, the one thing to remember is that with the Lord one day is a thousand years (2 Peter 3: 8, 9), demonstrating God’s longsuffering in the process of salvation, extending patiently his outstretched arms of love.

Here in the gospels, Jesus says to the rich young man, “One thing you lack…” and to Martha, Jesus answers, “Only one thing is needed.” One thing. Just one.

What is the one thing?  Loving devotion to the Lord. Jesus challenges the rich young man, “One thing you lack. Go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” His great wealth stood in the way of his desire for God.  He stays with his wealth, which leads Jesus to the commentary, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

For Martha, she was distracted from attentiveness to Jesus by all the preparations of the household.  She speaks up about the work and how her sister Mary has left her to herself. “Tell her to help me!” she demands. Jesus comforts Martha with a reminder of the one thing that matters most, and “Mary has chosen what is better.” Jesus much preferred the loving consideration of Mary instead of the distracted inattentiveness of Martha.

The “one thing” that matters most to Jesus is love. It’s love that brings one to repentance, forgiveness and salvation. It’s love that opens the door to a life of listening attentively to the invitations of the Lord for faithful obedience and sacrificial service. It’s love that delights in the empowerment of the Spirit for all of life, and which envelops hope and faith, mercy and grace, truth and joy.

What are the many things that hinder you from attentiveness to the one thing that matters most? Is it the many things of your profession and the acquisition of possessions; it is your relationships and the desire you have to please or power over others; or is it something else or something more? Identify that which stands in the way of you enjoying the one thing Jesus invites: a deep, unending love for God.

Behold the audience of One; believe the One Gospel of grace; belong to the One True God and all who call him Lord; and become more like the One Jesus, who calls you by name and desires to love and be loved by the one and only you.

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Steve Macchia

Founder & President

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP).  He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. Steve’s personal website is www.SteveMacchia.com.

My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty & Emmaus Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.